Ukufihlwa Osukwini Lolaka LukaJehova
“Funani uJehova, . . . funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”—Zef. 2:3.
1. Igama likaZefaniya nesiprofetho kuthakazelisa ngani namuhla?
‘UKUFIHLWA uJehova’—yilokho okushiwo igama lomprofethi kaNkulunkulu uZefaniya, ogama lakhe lisho ukuthi “uJehova ufihlile.” Ingabe kuyisifiso sakho ukufihlwa uJehova? Kumelwe, njengoba izwe namuhla lingene lathi shí osizini nasesimweni sokungabi nathemba. UJehova, uNkulunkulu olungileyo akanakuzivumela isikhathi eside izimo ezinjalo. Usuku lwakhe lweArmagedoni luseduze. Sonke kumelwe sibe nesithakazelo esijulile esiprofethweni sikaZefaniya, ngoba sisho okwengeziwe ngalolosuku lwesinqumo. Sibonisa indlela esingathola ngayo indawo yesiphephelo, ukuze ‘sifihlwe uJehova.’
2. Kungani lesiprofetho singesincane neze ngokubaluleka kwaso?
2 UZefaniya waprofetha phakathi nengxenye yokuqala yokubusa kweNkosi yakwaJuda uJosiya, okwaqala ngo-659 B.C.E., cishe eminyakeni engama-50 ngaphambi kokuba uJehova enze uJuda neJerusalema incithakalo. Ngenxa yobufushane besiprofetho sakhe, ngokuvamile uZefaniya kubhekiselwa kuye njengomunye “wabaProfethi abaNcane,” kodwa okuqukethwe isiprofetho sakhe akukuncane neze. Osukwini lukaZefaniya sasiphethe isigijimi saphezulu esasingenakunganakwa neze. Ngokufanayo sibhekisela ekhulwini lethu lamashumi amabili ngesixwayiso esinamandla okumelwe silalelwe yibo bonke abantu abathemba ukuthola ukulondeka phakathi nosuku oluzayo lolaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova. Siyingxenye ye“zwi lesiprofetho” elinamandla likaJehova lelo umphostoli uPetru alifanisa ‘nesibani esikhanya endaweni emnyama.’—2 Pet. 1:19; bheka futhi amaRoma 15:4.
3. (a) Ukuprofetha kukaZefaniya kwayiletha kanjani inzuzo esheshayo? (b) Kungani lokhu kwakungenakuthatha isikhathi eside?
3 UZefaniya, kubonakala sengathi wayewumzukulu weNkosi ethembekile uHezekiya. Njengomprofethi oyisihlobo sasebukhosini, kwakumelwe abe nesibindi ngempela ukuze amemezele izahlulelo ezivuthayo ezimelene namakhosi akwaJuda. (Zef. 1:1, 8) Ukuprofetha kwakhe ngokusobala kwaba nemiphumela ephilisayo ezinsukwini zeNkosi esewumfana uJosiya, eyahlanza izwe ekukhulekeleni kwamanga futhi yaduma ‘ngezenzo zayo ezinhle njengokulotshiweyo emthethweni kaJehova.’ (2 IziKr. 34:3, 14, 19, 33; 35:26) Ngenxa yalokho, kwaba khona ukuhoxiswa kwesikhashana kokukhishwa kwesahlulelo sikaJehova. Nokho, inkambo kaJosiya yokulunga ayibususanga ububi obabukubantu bakubo, futhi ayizihlawulelanga izono zikamkhulu wakhe uManase, ‘owagcwalisa iJerusalema ngegazi elingenacala.’ (2 AmaKh. 24:3, 4) Usuku lukaJehova lokulandisa lwaluseduze!
‘IZWI LIKAJEHOVA’
4. (a) Isiprofetho siqala ngamaphi amazwi esinqumo? (b) Yini esiyikhomba njengembangela yokukhathazeka kukaJuda, futhi ngani?
4 NgoZefaniya, uJehova wakwenza kwaba sobala ukuthi wayezobuphelisa nyá ububi. Isiprofetho sivula ngalamazwi:
“Ngiyakuqothula nokuqothula konke, kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba, usho uJehova.”
Kwakuzoba ukubhujiswa, ukusishulwa kwazo zonke izinto ezinyanyekayo emehlweni kaJehova. Leli“zwi” liqhubekela ekuboniseni ukuthi yini eyayibangela izinkathazo kuJuda—inkolo yamanga! Ngoba uJehova uqhubeka athi:
“Ngiyakwelula isandla sami phezu kukaJuda naphezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema, nginqume insali kaBali kulendawo, negama labapristi bezithixo kanye nabapristi, nabakhuleka kulo ibandla lasezulwini phezu kwezindlu, nabakhuleka kuJehova bemfunga, befunga futhi uMilkomu, nababuyile ekumlandeleni uJehova, nabangamfumananga uJehova bengabuzanga ngaye.”—Zef. 1:2-6.
5. (a) Kungani ukukhonza uBali kwakungenayo indawo efanelekile phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu (b) Iziphi izenzo ezenyanyekayo okwazihlanganisa?
5 Yeka ububi! LawomaJuda ayelahle ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kukaJehova alandela uBali wezizwe ezizizungezile. Ukukhonza uBali—nemihlatshelo yakho engabantu, ubufebe bakho obungokwenkolo, ukukhonza kwakho izithixo eziyizimungulu nemithandazo emide yokucela ukuceba—kwakungenandawo efanelekile phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova. (Num. 25:1-5; Jer. 7:30, 31; 11:17; 19:3-5) Inkolo yamanga yayibaholele kuzo zonke izinhlobo zezenzo ezimbi. Abapristi bakwaJuda babephule uMyalo Wokuqala ‘ngokuhlanganyela kanye nabapristi babanye onkulunkulu.’ (Eks. 20:2, 3) Belandela isibonelo esibi seNkosi uManase, bakhonza “ibandla lasezulwini” bacela ukuqondisa kwabanamadlozi. (2 IziKr. 33:1-6) Ngokuvumelana nesisho samanga sokuthi ‘kukhona ubuhle kuzo zonke izinkolo,’ babelinganisa unkulunkulu oyisithixo uMilkomu noJehova. Ngenxa yokufulathela uNkulunkulu ophilayo, babethuthukise ‘inhliziyo embi bentula ukholo.’—Heb. 2:12.
6. Ikuphi ukufana okuhlaba umxhwele esikuthola phakathi kwezenzo zikaJuda neLobukholwa namuhla?
6 Ingabe ukhona umehluko kweLobukholwa namuhla? Izizwe zeLobukholwa zisenecala legazi ngokumangalisayo, ngenxa yezigidigidi zokuphila ezinikelwa ealtare lempi phakathi nalelikhulu leminyaka. Abefundisi beLobukholwa nhlangothi zombili basekela lezozimpi, futhi icala labo legazi lisamile. (Qhathanisa noJeremiya 2:34, 35.) Njengoba nje amaJuda azitika kuzo zonke izindlela zokuziphatha okubi kobulili, namuhla sithola abantu beLobukholwa behileleka ekuhlanganeni kobulili ngaphambi komshado, ubufebe, ukushintshana ngabafazi, ukudivosa, ubungqingili nokufanayo, kulapho abefundisi abaningi bayathalalisa noma ngisho bazivumele izenzo ezinjalo. Yeka indlela okuphambene ngayo nendinganiso yeBhayibheli!—1 Kor. 6:9, 10; Heb. 13:4.
7. (a) Ikuphi ukufana esikutholayo phakathi kobulozi nokuxubanisa izinkolo okwakwenziwa amaJuda ahlubukayo? (b) Maqondana nalokhu, isiphi iseluleko esifika ngesikhathi esisithola eZwini likaNkulunkulu?
7 Ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi, ukubikezela inhlanhla, ubulozi—nalokhu kuyatholakala phakathi kwabathi bangamaKristu. Ngaphansi kwezaba zokuthi ‘zonke izinkolo ziholela emgomweni owodwa,’ kukhona okukhulu ukuxubanisa inkolo kweLobukholwa namuhla. Ukukholelwa ezeni kwenkolo yamanga kuxutshaniswe neBhayibheli. Ngakho-ke, esikhundleni sokulalela umyalo kaJesu wokugcina unyaka ngamunye iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe, eLobukholwa liqokomisa amaIsta, ethiwe ngonkulunkulukazi wothando lwenkanuko uAshtoreti (Astarte, ngesiGreki), bengenisa amasiko okuzalana nemifanekiso, enjengonogwaja namaqanda kaIsta. Noma ubani oye wahileleka ezenzweni ezinjalo ngabe wenza kahle ngokulandela iseluleko esihle sika-1 Samuweli 7:3: “Uma nibuyela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yenu, susani kini onkulunkulu babezizwe noAshitaroti, nibhekise izinhliziyo zenu kuJehova, nimkhonze yena yedwa; uyakunophula.” Yebo, ukuhlonipha uJehova, iZwi lakhe nezimfuneko zakhe kubalulekile ngathi uma sifuna ukuba phakathi kwalabo abamenyelwa ukuhlanganyela osukwini lokuphindisela kwakhe. Kunjengoba uZefaniya ngokwakhe esho:
“Thula phambi kobuso beNkosi uJehova, ngokuba usuku lukaJehova luseduze; uJehova ulungisile umhlatshelo, ungcwelisile abamenyiweyo bakhe.”—Zef. 1:7.
8. “Izwi likaJehova” lixwayisa ngakuphi ukucabanga okuyingozi?
8 Osukwini lukaZefaniya, ukuhlola kukaJehova ababethi bangabakhulekeli bakhe kwakuphelele. Ngakho-ke “izwi likaJehova” Uqhubeka lithi:
“Kuyakuthi ngalesosikhathi ngicwaninge iJerusalema ngezibani, ngihambele abantu abajiyile enhleseni yabo, abathi ezinhliziyweni zabo: uJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi.” (Zef. 1:1, 12)
Abanjalo ababezikhathalela ngokweqile babaneliswa isimo esasikhona. Babengafuni kube khona ogoqoza inhlese esemiphongolweni yewayini labo. Babefana neLobukholwa elingenalukholo namuhla, kanye nabanye abaye bahlubuka ekukhonzeni uJehova, bethi, “buphi ubufakazi bokuthi ngempela ‘ziyizinsuku zokugcina?’” Ukucabanga okunjalo kwaletha inhlekelele osukwini lukaZefaniya, futhi lokhu kungase kulethe inhlekelele eyengeziwe osukwini lwethu, njengoba sibhekene nesiphelo saso sonke isimiso sezwe sezinto.—2 Pet. 3:3, 4, 10.
9. Njengasezinsukwini zikaJuda, kungani kubaluleke kakhulu manje ukuhlakulela umbono ongokomoya kunowezinto ezibonakalayo?
9 Maqondana nabanjalo abangenalukholo, abantu abathanda izinto ezibonakalayo, uJehova uqhubeka athi:
“Ingcebo yabo iyakuba-yimpango, nezindlu zabo incithakalo; bayakwakha izindlu, kepha abayikuhlala kuzo, batshale izivini, bangaliphuzi kodwa iwayini lazo.” (Zef. 1:13)
Izimpahla zezwe azisho lutho osukwini lwesahlulelo saphezulu! Esikhundleni sokufuna ezinjalo izinto ezibonakalayo namuhla, yeka indlela okufaneleke ngayo ukuhlakulela umbono ongokombhalo ngokuphila, nokuba abantu abasha bazihlomisele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele kuJehova! Bajabula njalo labo abakhetha ‘ukuzibekelela ingcebo ezulwini’ kuno‘kuziqongelela ingcebo emhlabeni’!—Math. 6:19-21; UmSh. 12:1; 1 Thim. 6:6-8.
‘USUKU OLUKHULU LUSEDUZE’
10, 11. Kukanjani futhi kungani uJehova ‘esheshisa’ usuku lwakhe olukhulu?
10 Ngokulandelayo, iNkosi enkulu ngokwayo iyasiqinisekisa:
“Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze; luseduze, lushesha kakhulu.”—Zef. 1:7, 14.
11 Akungabikho ocabanga ukuthi ukwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu lelizwe elibi kusekude. Namuhla, ukubhujiswa kwakho konke ukuphila emhlabeni kuyasongela, kodwa lokho okuthile uJehova angenakukuvumela! INkosi enkulu uJehova, hayi abantu bezombangazwe, abayoletha isiphelo kulobuhlanya benkathi yenyukliya. ‘Uyosheshisa’ usuku lwakhe lweArmagedoni. Noma yimuphi ‘umuntu onamandla’ ozama ukuvimbela lokho kukhishwa kwesahlulelo uyokhala kabuhlungu, ngoba uJehova ngokwakhe uthi:
“Lolosuku lu[wu]suku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolokuyize, usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu, usuku lwecilongo nolokuhlaba umkhosi ngasemizini ebiyelweyo nasemibhoshongweni yasezingosini.”—Zef. 1:15, 16.
12. Kungani singajabula ngokuthi kuyobakhona ukubhujiswa okukhethayo ngalolosuku?
12 Izinqaba zalelizwe elihlomele impi, ngisho noma zingazehlula izikhali zenyukliya, ziyoba yize ezikhalini zamabutho kaJehova asezulwini. Futhi, kuyoba ukubhujiswa okukhethayo, ngokuvumelana namazwi kaDavide angokwesiprofetho: “UJehova uyalondoloza bonke abamthandayo, kepha ababi bonke uyakubabhubhisa.” (AmaH. 145:20) Ngempela kuyoba usuku olwesabekayo lwesahlulelo kulabo abangathulanga ngenhlonipho phambi kukaJehova. Ngoba ngoZefaniya, ulandelisa ngokuthi:
“Ngiyakucindezela abantu, bahambe njengezimpumputhe, ngokuba bonile kuJehova; igazi labo liyakuthululwa njengothuli, nenyama yabo njengomquba.”—Zef. 1:17.
13. Ukuqongelelwa kwani okungenakusho lutho osukwini lolaka?
13 Imali eningi ebhange, ngisho nasezweni “elingathathi-hlangothi,” noma igolide eliqongelelwe, noma impahla eningi egcinelwe ukuba izale, noma okufihlwe ngaphansi komhlaba kuyosiza ngani ngalolosuku? Ngalutho! INkosi enkulu uJehova ngokwayo ikwenza lokhu kube sobala, lapho ithi:
“Nasiliva labo nagolide labo akuyiba-namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo lukaJehova, kepha umhlaba wonke uyakudliwa ngumlilo womhawu wakhe, ngokuba uyakuqeda, yebo, aqede ngokuzumayo bonke abakhileyo ezweni.” (Zef. 1:18)
Kulolusuku lokugcina lwesinqumo, ‘wonke umhlaba’ uhlanganisiwe ekukhipheni kukaNkulunkulu isahlulelo sokugcina. Kodwa ikhona indlela yokusinda! Iyini?
“BUTHANANI”
14. Buyini ubufakazi bokwehluleka ukulalela ukunxusa kukaZefaniya 2:1 (a) ngoJuda? (b) ngeLobukholwa?
14 Njengokungathi unxusa abantu bakhe okokugcina, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu ngokwakhe manje ukhuthaza abayosinda, ethi:
“Buthanani, yebo, buthana, sizwe esingenamahloni.” (Zef. 2:1)
Kodwa ingabe uJuda njengesizwe wasabela ngokuvumayo kulokho kunxusa? Ukukhishwa kwesahlulela sikaJehova esifana nomlilo kulesosizwe ngo-607 B.C.E. kubonisa ukuthi akenzanga kanjalo. Waqhubeka nenkambo yakhe ebangela amahloni. Kodwa kwakukhona abathile—amaJuda nabanye, kuhlanganise noJeremiya, uEbed-Meleki nendlu kaJonadaba—abasinda ngenxa yokulalela izwi likaJehova. (Jer. 39:11, 12, 16-18; 35:18, 19) Isimo singesifanayo nanamuhla. Ngaphandle kwamahloni, eLobukholwa liye lamelana nesigijimi soMbuso leso oFakazi BakaJehova abasishumayela kulo lonke izwe. Liye lawuphika umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu njengowukuphela kwethemba lezizwe, libeka esikhundleni sawo ingcacamezela eyenziwe umuntu, eyaziwa namuhla njengeZizwe Ezihlangene. Noma ikuphi ukubutha okwenziwa eLobukholwa kumane nje kuhlalelwe ukubhujiswa eArmagedoni.—AmaH. 2:2, 3; IsAm. 16:13-16.
15. Ikuphi okunye ukubutha obekuqhubeka ezikhathini zanamuhla?
15 Nokho, okunye ukubutha kuye kwaqhubeka ‘engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,’ lapho sikhona manje. Okukuqala, kuye kwaba khona ukubutha, ngokuyinhloko kukhishwa kweLobukholwa, amaKristu eqiniso agcotshiwe. Lokhu kuye kwalandelwa ukubuthwa ‘okuvela kuzo zonke izizwe imindeni nabantu nezilimi,’ kwe“sixuku esikhulu” esingenakubalwa, esizosinda osizini oluzayo. (IsAm. 7:1-4, 9, 14; Isaya 2:2, 3) Ubani owenza lesi“sixuku esikhulu”? Abantu abathobekile abazimisele ukuzithoba ekulaleleni iseluleko somprofethi kaNkulunkulu.
16, 17. Ukusondela kwani manje okuseduze kakhulu, futhi, ngakho-ke, yiluphi ubizo okumelwe kusabelwe kulo ukuze kusindwe?
16 Ngokungenasihawu, ukusondela eArmagedoni kushesha ngesivinini esikhulu. Khona-ke esikhathini esifanelekile, kukhishwa isixwayiso somprofethi kaNkulunkulu kulabantu abathobekile:
“Isimiso singakazali—lolosuku ludlula njengamakhoba—lungakanehleli ulaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova, lungakafiki phezu kwenu usuku lolaka lukaJehova,”
kumelwe nenze okuthile!—Zef. 2:2.
17 Isimiso nesimemezelo sikaJehova sokuthi eLobukholwa kumelwe libhujiswe, njengoba nje iJerusalema elingenalukholo lahlangabezana nokubhujiswa ngo-607 B.C.E., ngenxa yezizathu ezifanayo. (Hez. 22:3-5) Linecala legazi, futhi abefundisi balo baye balahla umthetho kaJehova. Inkolo yalo iyingxenye yeBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, lowo umphostoli uJohane aloba ngawo ukuthi: “Ngokuba izizwe zonke zidukisiwe ngokuthakatha kwakho, futhi kwafunyaniswa kuwe igazi labaprofethi nelabangcwele nelabo bonke ababebulewe emhlabeni.” Akumangalisi ukuthi ubizo luye lwayiswa kulabo abafisela ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu: “Phumani kulo, bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nalo izono zalo, nokuba ningamukeli okwezinhlupho zalo”!—IsAm. 18:4, 23, 24.
‘UKUFUNA UJEHOVA’
18. Isiphi isinyathelo esiqhubekayo okumelwe abathobekileyo basithathe?
18 Nokho, ingabe kwanele ukuzehlukanisa nezwe nenkolo yalo yamanga? UZefaniya ubonisa ukuthi abathobekileyo kumelwe bathathe isenzo esiqhubekayo, nesifanelekile.
19. Yini ehileleke ‘ekufuneni uJehova’?
19 Okokuqala, ngokulandelana kwakho, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uthi:
“Funani uJehova nina nonke-bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe.” (Zef. 2:3a)
Kumelwe bafune ukwazi uJehova nezimfanelo zakhe ezimangalisayo nezinjongo, njengoba iNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, iye yamchaza. Ukwenza kwabo kanjalo ngentobeko kuletha umvuzo omkhulu, njengoba uJesu ngokwakhe asho: “Ukuphila okuphakade yilokhu ukuba bazi wena-Nkulunkulu wedwa oqinisileyo, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Joh. 1:18; 17:3) Ukufuna kwabo uJehova kuyoholela ekumthandeni kwabo ‘ngenhliziyo yabo yonke, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla,’ nasekulandeleni kwabo isibonelo sikaJesu ekwenzeni inkonzo engcwele leyo uJehova ayifuna kubo.—Marku 12:29, 30; 1 Pet. 2:21; Math. 4:17; IsAm. 7:15.
20. Hlobo luni lokulunga okumelwe silufune, ngakuphi ukuqiniseka?
20 Ngokulandelayo uZefaniya uthi:
“Funani ukulunga.” (Zef. 2:3b)
Hayi ukuzishaya abalungileyo kwabaFarisi! Akumenzeli okuhle umuntu ‘ukushisekela uNkulunkulu’ uma lokhu kungavumelani nolwazi oluqondile lweZwi lakhe. Sidinga ‘ukwazi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu ukuze sizithobe ngokwethu kulokho kulunga.’ Sidinga ukuvumelanisa ukuphila kwethu nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu—hayi ezomuntu—futhi sembathe ubuntu bobuKristu ‘obudalwe ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.’ (Roma 10:2, 3; Efe. 4:22-24) Lokhu kulunga kweqiniso nokwethembeka kudinga ukuba singavumeli ukucabanga okubi noma izindlela zezwe zibuse ukuphila kwethu. Njengoba uJesu eluleka, sidinga ‘ukufuna kuqala umbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe,’ siqiniseka ngokuthi, njengoba simkhonza uyosinikeza okudingekayo ukuze sigcine ukuphila kwethu futhi asivikele osukwini lolaka lukaJehova.—Math. 6:31-33.
21. (a) Isiprofetho siyigcizelela kanjani lemfanelo yokuthobeka? (b) Maqondana nalokhu, yini okumelwe siyiqaphele ngokunakekela?
21 Okwesithathu, umprofethi kaJehova uthi:
“Funani ukuthobeka.” (Zef. 2:3c)
Kakade uZefaniya usebachazile labo abayolalela isiprofetho sakhe ‘njengabathobekileyo bomhlaba.’ Ngakho-ke manje uyigcizelela ngokwesibili lemfanelo. Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba siqhubeke ‘sifuna ukuthobeka,’ njengoba sizungezwe isimo sezwe sokuqhosha sokufuna izinto ngenkani, sokungatshelwa, nesokuthi ‘yimina phambili’! Ngaso sonke isikhathi kukhona ingozi yokuthi lesisimo singase sisithonye. Sidinga ukuqapha, ngaso sonke isikhathi sizimisele ukwamukela isiyalo esivela kuJehova nasenhlanganweni yakhe, kanjalo sizivumelanise ngokwethu nentando yakhe. Akumelwe neze sicabange ukuthi isimo sethu yileso sokuthi “uma usuke wasindiswa, usindiswe phakade,” ngoba umvuzo wensindiso owalabo ‘abaqhubeka eqinisweni.’—IzAga 22:4; Joh. 8:31, 32; 3 Joh. 3, 4.
22. (a) Kungani uZefaniya ethi “mhlawumbe”? (b) Uyoba yini umphumela wokugcina kulabo ‘abafihlwa uJehova’?
22 ‘Kwabathobekileyo bomhlaba,’ uZefaniya manje uthi:
“Mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.” (Zef. 2:3d)
Kungani ethi “mhlawumbe”? Kungoba ukusindiswa kokugcina kuxhomeke enkambweni yomuntu, njengoba uJesu abonisa, ethi: “Kodwa okhuthazelayo kuze kube sekupheleni nguyena oyakusindiswa.” Khona-ke khuthazelani nonke nina enithobekileyo, ngokuqhubeka nenza intando kaNkulunkulu yalolusuku ngentobeko, okuhlanganisa ukushumayela lezindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe kuwo wonke umhlaba kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke. (Math. 24:13, 14) Ngokwenza kanjalo, ningase nibe phakathi kwalabo ‘abayofihlwa uJehova’ osukwini lolaka lwakhe. Umhubi uDavide uloba ngabanjalo ukuthi: “Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”—AmaH. 37:11.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 19]
“KUYOXHOMEKA KUPHELA ESIKHATHINI”
Enkulumweni yakhe yokuyeka umsebenzi, obekade engumongameli waseUnited States uJimmy Carter wavuma maqondana nezikhali zenyukliya: “Ingozi iya iba nkulu kakhulu. Njengoba inqolobane yezikhali zemibuso emikhulu ikhula nempucuko nabanye ohulumeni—mhlawumbe ngisho, esikhathini esizayo, ohulumeni abaningi—bethola lezikhali, kuyoxhomeka nje esikhathini ngaphambi kokuba ubuhlanya, ukuphelelwa ithemba, ukuhaha noma ukweduka ekucabangeni kubangele ukudedelwa kwamandla asabekayo.” Kakade sekukhona ukuhlanya okukhulu ezweni! Umlobi wephephandaba i“Times” yaseNew York kaJanuary 31, 1981, waxwayisa ngokuthi kukhona “Unyaka Ikakhulukazi Wokuqondisa Izikhali” yimibuso emikhulu, noma kuyolahleka “noma imaphi amathuba abonakalayo okulinganisela izikhali zenyukliya.”